'Teen Mom' Catelynn Lowell Could Be Falling Into a Troubling Diet Trap

Even though recent rumors claimedTeenMom's Catelynn Lowell is pregnant with baby #2, the truth is that the only thing she's expecting is to lose another 20 pounds! By sticking to healthy eating and regular workouts, bride-to-be has dropped 22 pounds and says she's about halfway to her goal weight. Being that she's going about it in such a smart, gradual way, there's no doubt in my mind she'll be able to hit it before her wedding to Tyler Baltierra next summer. She'll look absolutely stunning.

But I have to wonder, what comes after The Big Day? Is it back to the gym or back to bad habits that, unfortunately over time, will die hard?

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Of course I want to believe that any woman -- bride or not -- who hits her weight goal will be able to maintain it. But more times than not, that's not the reality. Especially when you're losing weight for that one day when you're The Bride.

Don't get me wrong. I'm totally with Catelynn. My wedding date is set for a couple of months before hers, and I started my "fit to wed" plan as soon as we got engaged in March, giving me a generous 14 months to get to a size I feel more comfortable in. I had been trying to lose before that, but once the ring was on my finger, I started pulling out all the stops: Frequent workouts, re-committing to Weight Watchers, weekly weigh-ins, tracking my food, etc. There's nothing like a day (or let's face it, several months) where all eyes are on you to kickstart a serious, focused effort to pare extra pounds.

And yet, to fixate on losing just for the wedding is a huge mistake. A major yo-yo dieting trap I'd bet most brides fall into. One of the weight loss pros I'm working with asked about my motivation, and I mentioned the wedding. Not as the be all and end all, but it is clearly at the front of my mind these days. Immediately, she jumped in and said, "How about instead of losing for the wedding, you released the weight for LIFE?" Not only does that sound so much more appealing ... It's also the healthier mindset.

Experts always say that people trying to lose weight should be making permanent, lasting, sustainable lifestyle changes. Not just a quick fix diet or extreme measure that leads to yo-yo-ing and finding yourself right back where you started from. Easy? No way! For many of us, it's an uphill hike, every day of our lives. But, in the end, what bride wouldn't want to look and feel amazing for weeks, months, years beyond her wedding day?Given the balanced strategy she's taken to trim down, I'm sure Catelynn has what it takes to keep it up -- for life.

Did you or do you plan to stick to your weight loss/maintenance plan after your wedding?